Alice
by LeFae
Summary: Too much happened off screen in Threads and Moebius. This is my attempt to piece some of it together. Alice is a reference to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. I can't think of anything more disorienting than grief.
1. Chapter 1

"It's my Dad."

Carter turned and left at a jog towards her car, and O'Neill watched her leave from under knitted brows. Beside him, Kerry Johnson watched his gaze, and sighed inwardly.

"I'll grab some more beers," she offered, heading indoors to give him a minute. O'Neill nodded, and wandered to the front of his deck as he heard Carter's car start. It pulled off at a lick, and he cocked his head to one side. Still brandishing the cooking fork in one hand, he fished for his phone with the other. Behind him, Kerry leant in the doorway with a beer in each hand, and listened sadly.

"This is General O'Neill," he said, still watching the empty driveway. "Get me the infirmary."


	2. Chapter 2

Carter had sprinted into the base, barely slowing at the check points to identify herself, and now sat in one of the seats on the observation balcony. She'd spoken with her father, and then excused herself to allow the Tok'ra representatives to pay their respects. He was on morphine and a mild sedative, and there was nothing left now but to wait.

So wait she did, her heart in her mouth and her head in her hands.

Beneath her, the door opened, and a figure stepped into her father's room. She felt her eyebrows flick upwards in surprise, recognising the shoulders and grey tinged hair even before he moved over to her father's bedside. She'd thought he was.. well, never mind what she'd thought. He'd come to see her father. That meant a lot to her, even if... _damnit. _She couldn't even start to think about the implications of what she'd done that morning, of Kerry's presence. Today was going to be difficult enough as it was.

"General Carter."

Faded eyes fluttered open, and Carter thought she could see her Dad smile to see her CO. The first time they'd met, O'Neill hadn't been able to escape fast enough – but it had been a medal giving ceremony, and he'd never been big on pomp, she reflected. She vaguely recalled him making a few light hearted quips before flagging down a passing waiter and making good his escape. She smiled to herself, and wiped away a tear. That had been the same day she'd found out about her father's cancer, she realised, with a start.

"Jack," came the reply. "Thanks for coming."

"Yeah, well – I heard you weren't doing so well. Came to check in on you. Make sure it wasn't just a negotiating ploy. You know, working the sympathy vote." O'Neill stood at the foot of Jacob's bed, blocking Sam's view of both his own face and her father's.

Jacob smiled faintly, and O'Neill had to work hard not to cringe at just how frail the once robust General now appeared.

"Listen, the rest of the Tok'ra are on their way up from the 'gate right now. I just wanted to say..." O'Neill wasn't comfortable with emotions, particularly grief, and he was struggling visibly. "Wow, damn, this is tough. You sacrificed more than most, Jacob. I wanted to say thank you. For everything."

"I haven't sacrificed anything you haven't," Jacob replied, calmly. "Probably not as much, even."

"What d'you mean?"

"Jack, I got extra years out of being host to Selmak. I got to live on borrowed time. It gave me chance to set things right with my daughter, and at least partially with my son. If nothing else, that's something to be grateful for."

"Well, I know Carter's loved having you around more," O'Neill replied, honestly. "Goodness knows she didn't behave with much decorum whenever you dropped by."

"The irony is, I got to see Sam more while I lived on another planet than I did when she was growing up," Jacob grimaced. "But I can't help but wish I could stick around a bit longer and make sure she's okay."

"There'll never be a good time for her to lose her father," Jack responded, glancing up at the gallery. Sam's head was bowed in what looked like prayer, her fingers twined through her blonde shock of hair, and he winced for her.

"That's not what I meant," Jacob whispered. "Jack, she's my little girl, and you've protected her all these years, and I'm grateful to you for that. But she's making a big mistake marrying Pete. I tried to tell her, she can still have it all – she can still be happy – but I'm not sure she really got what I meant."

Jack looked back at Jacob with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not sure I am, either, Sir," he replied. "But if it helps – she came to me today. She said she was having doubts about the wedding."

Jacob's eyes widened.

"She came to you? She told you that? She told _you _that, and not me?"

Jack grimaced. "I'm not sure I understand the significance, Sir."

Jacob grinned.

"Yeah, you do. And if you don't, you oughtta." There was a light in Jacob's eyes that hadn't been there a minute ago. "Some things are more important than the Air Force, Jack." Jack straightened up to avoid squirming under the other General's gaze.

"I think the Tok'ra are here," he offered, by way of deflection.

"Send 'em in. And go look after my girl, Jack."

Jack's gaze finally found Jacob's again, and something approaching understanding dawned.

"Sir. Yes, Sir," he replied, deferentially, with a slight nod of his head.


End file.
